by InTrieste
The Italian Science Fund (Fondo Italiano per la Scienza, FIS) has awarded €3 million to support two research projects at the University of Trieste, expanding the institution’s portfolio of funded initiatives in this funding cycle to five projects, totaling over €8 million.
The grants will support SOFTEN, a study focused on reversing cardiac fibrosis and promoting tissue regeneration, and A DIGITal twin for efficient solar CELLs, which aims to develop a “digital twin” capable of simulating solar cells in their full complexity to accelerate the discovery of new photovoltaic materials.
SOFTEN, led by Pasquale Sacco of the Department of Life Sciences, received approximately €1.65 million. The project addresses a longstanding challenge in medicine: the human adult heart has limited regenerative capacity, and tissue damage often leads to fibrosis that impairs cardiac function. Inspired by species such as zebrafish, which can regenerate heart tissue through temporary “softening” of the extracellular matrix, the project seeks to replicate and control this process using specially designed biomaterials, combining polymer chemistry, materials engineering, and cellular and molecular biology.
The solar cell project, led by Virginia Carnevali, received about €1.33 million and will be conducted at the Department of Physics following her transfer from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The research focuses on creating a digital model of a solar cell that integrates quantum simulations, molecular dynamics, statistical methods, and experimental data. The model is intended as a predictive tool for improving energy conversion efficiency and discovering new photovoltaic materials. Carnevali cited Trieste’s recognized expertise in simulation techniques and the availability of advanced experimental infrastructure as key reasons for situating the project at the university.
The two newly funded projects join three previously announced in December 2025: Paolo Fornasiero (€2.3 million) and Federico Rosei (€1.9 million) of the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Matteo Marinelli (€1.1 million) of the Department of Physics. In total, the University of Trieste will receive €8.2 million in this round of FIS funding.
“We are very pleased with these results,” said University Rector Donata Vianelli. “The Italian Science Fund applies particularly rigorous criteria in project evaluation. The outcome confirms the University of Trieste’s ability to design research that attracts funding and top talent. These programs reflect our commitment to strategic frontiers, including biomedical research, biomaterials for major health challenges, and advanced modeling of materials and devices for renewable energy.”
